Dark Chocolate Processing

The MIDSALIP FARMERS MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE (MIFAMCO) initially planted 2,000 hills of cacao in its Agricultural Demo Farm located in Canipay Sur, Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur. The seedlings were provided by the Provincial Government in early 2013.

In the same year, MIFAMCO launched the Cacao Production Program wherein 88 farmer-members with more than 200 hectares of area planted within Zamboanga Peninsula.

In 2017, MIFAMCO officers and management decided to adopt the creative concept of value-adding to venture into processing business and help in promoting inclusive economic growth in cacao-producing areas. Thus, MIFAMCO Tablea was started through manual production and with the strong support from the Department of Trade and Industry through the Shared Service Facilities Project (Dark Chocolate Processing Equipment) to realize the innovative approach of value-adding.

In 2019, when processing equipment was turned over to the cooperative, MIFAMCO started the production of Dark Chocolate. The initiative helped create employment in Midsalip, which enables the unemployed women to generate income and a significant increase of sales of our cacao products.

It is a pathway which leads to penetrate reliable markets, consequently bridging connections and networks. This is a milestone for MIFAMCO to venture into entrepreneurship allowing to create a name in the food industry.